Today, the inaugural meeting of the Global Ecosystem of Ecosystems Platform in Innovation and Cybersecurity (Global EPIC) took place during the European Cybersecurity Forum – CYBERSEC 2017 in Krakow, Poland. This initiative will see 14 global ecosystems co-creating and adopting world-changing solutions to high-impact cybersecurity challenges, both current and emergent. Combining their knowledge, experience and expertise, together they will develop innovative solutions, drive knowledge sharing, perform trend analyses and research, influence and set standards on a global level. The ecosystems involved come from 10 different countries spanning 3 continents, reflecting the truly global nature of the platform. Global EPIC will focus its efforts on 10 value generating initiatives, co-creating globally and benefitting locally.

Urgency

Cybersecurity threats are a global challenge disrupting local modern living. That hardly a day goes by without news of yet another harmful attack, suggests our current approaches to cybersecurity are failing. Isolating cybersecurity as its own “special domain” misreads its inherent embodiment in all sectors and levels of society. Consequently, new approaches need development if we are to achieve the global and local benefits offered by cyber and cyber-enabled technologies.

14 Leading Global Cybersecurity Ecosystems

Across the globe, ecosystems that bring together academia, industry and government operate to respond to cybersecurity threats and enable economic development opportunities. The 14 involved ecosystems have largely developed independently, driven by local and national objectives. The leaders of these keystones have become aware that the challenges of cybersecurity require global paradigm-shifting platforms and cooperation that reflect regional and local imperatives. Underpinning this perspective is a conscious attempt to ‘glocalize’ – localize the global and globalize the local.

Izabela Albrycht, Chairperson of the Kosciuszko Institute and Chair of the CYBERSEC Organising Committee said “Building a global knowledge sharing community with cross-sectoral stakeholders is a must, in the face of rapidly expanding cyberthreats. Today, here in Krakow, we are laying the foundations of the platform which, as we hope, will bring innovators at the forefront of the fight against emerging cyber-challenges.”

Dr Godfrey Gaston, Director of the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) said “The formal launch of Global EPIC represents an escalation of global cybersecurity innovation ecosystem collaboration to tackle head on the challenges citizens, businesses and governments face in supporting the shift to an interconnected digital economy. It is a win/win for organisations and regions involved and we at CSIT are proud to be a founding keystone organisation.”

Global EPIC has set a target of 50 member cyber security ecosystems by October 2020. For further information on Global EPIC, its 10 value generating initiatives and how to join can be found at https://globalepic.org/

Notes for editors:

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10 Value Generating Initiatives

The value generation initiatives of Global EPIC are organized as follows:

More information on the individual ecosystems can be found at globalepic.org

CYBERSEC 2017

European Cybersecurity Forum – CYBERSEC is the first conference of its kind in Poland and one of just a few regular public policy conferences devoted to the strategic issues of cyberspace and cybersecurity in Europe. The annual conference sees the participation of key experts in the field of cybersecurity, privacy and policy. It took place on 9-10 October 2017 in Krakow, Poland. More information about the Forum is available at www.cybersecforum.eu